Dear Friends in Magic,
This newsletter is in its 8th year of coming to you every other month, and the readership grows weekly. Thank you for tuning in! For newcomers, I always start with…
A BIG IDEA
As readers of my memoir Dying to Change know, before I became a philosopher in college, I was a serious student of theater and acting. Because I had outstanding teachers in these areas, I learned many concepts and skills that re-surfaced when I became a magician. One of them is the importance of verisimilitude.
Verisimilitude refers to the believability of a theatrical performance and the internal consistency of “the world” that’s presented. Without these qualities, an audience is unable to enter or stay in the imaginative play space of the performance.
Obvious violations are when an actor breaks character or can’t find a line, or when a crew member brushes against the back curtain. Audiences are able to recover from a few minor disruptions, but at some number or size, the whole thing collapses for them into scorn and frustration. The show is over and out.
Clearly this fragile dynamic also applies to magic. As magicians, we invite the audience to imagine along as our trick or routine unfolds so they can (we hope) experience the impossible. Since the impossible isn’t real, we must take great care not to break the bubble of make-believe we are slowly inflating as we work.
Easier said than done! There are so many ways we can burst the bubble. For instance:
—Using un-deceptive methods or obvious sleight of hand
—Verbal malfeasance (verbal lint or boring, repetitive, or incorrect words)
—Technology malfunctions (props that don’t work, music that doesn’t play, mic feedback, etc.)
—Using odd, unmotivated actions or limitations
The first step in avoiding "sharp edges" like these is to understand they are far more than mere mistakes. They are also threats to the web we are weaving on our way to the impossible. But take heart, because deep down audiences want us to succeed; that’s what they’re there for. They can endure a hiccup or two as long as we don’t break the bubble.
Next time you perform, think of yourself as the great Finn Jon or Losander or Meadow Perry—bubble magicians all. Visualize the fragile tissue of imagination that's taking shape as you work. And err on the side of making choices that won't tear it.
As Eugene Burger puts it in From Beyond, “At its deepest level, magic is about how, as magicians, we can and must weave a spell."
IN THE STUDIO
My primary tasks these days involve preparing for the release of The Ross Johson Legacy book, which I can now announce will happen on Sunday, March 8. In fact, it will be unveiled at a special book release party that day from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California.
I will there. Ross will be there. And the presentation will be hosted by Michael Weber. After that, there will be a reception during which copies of the book will be available for purchase, and we will happily sign them.
One must be a Magic Castle member to attend, but if that applies to you, sign up soon because I expect demand to be high. You can do that in the “Members” section of the website by clicking on “Events.”
Important note: If you pre-ordered The Ross Johnson Legacy when that option was available in December, your copy will be mailed to arrive on or around the release date. |
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